When Sheridan Smith took the leading lady role in this brand new musical from Rufus Wainwright, she must’ve realised people will remember how close this is to home for her.

Smith plays well-known, fictional actress Myrtle Gordon in this play-within-a-play piece which follows a company in rehearsals up to their opening night. Along the way, she must battle working on stage with her husband of a failing marriage, being haunted by the spirit of an obsessive teenage fan who is tragically hit by a car in front of her as well as experiencing the complex relationships with her producer, director and writer. It is also being recorded for documentary purposes, meaning a large screen displays the live action and camera operators are dotted around the stage, always rather distractingly amidst the performance.

It’s an adaption of the lesser-known 1977 film with the same title. Ivo van Hove, who has also written the book, directs this slightly odd production which seems rather confused and, quite frankly, boring.

We watch the drama unfold from even behind the scenes as, when cast members leave the stage, they are still being filmed and relayed to the audience via the screen. It’s an unusual gimmick that works quite well, especially when there is a little screen magic and we are seeing live action mixed with pre-recorded film. However it does wear thin quickly and you are left not knowing where to look whilst the actors aren’t sure if they are acting for film or theatre.

Jan Versweyveld’s set design is as you’d expect a backstage area to look. Dressing room mirrors surrounded by light bulbs, fire exit signs and loose cables, with stage right kept free for the nine piece band.

Perhaps it’s the irony of watching Opening Night on opening night that almost works. It feels chaotic and unfinished whilst the ending is abrupt and unsatisfying. The songs aren’t memorable, even though some of Wainwright’s harmonies are quite beautiful, but Smith’s solo ‘Magic’ is the highlight of the evening and the closest we come to a ‘catchy number’. So much so that it’s a delight when it’s briefly reprised in Act 2.

Hadley Fraser gives a commanding and captivating performance as the infuriating director Manny with sublime, flawless vocals. Nicola Hughes as writer Sarah gives a tour de force of a performance and leaves the hair on your arms upstanding at the end of Act 1. Most of the rest of the company are standing around unintroduced, looking on strangely at the action happening in front of them, rather like their audience.

⭐️⭐️